Haku

Alcohol policy The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is responsible for the guidance and development of alcohol policy. Alcohol policy refers to the public authorities’ measures to prevent negative health, social and societal effects of alcoho...

Alcohol Act The provisions on the production, import, sale, marketing and use of alcoholic beverages have been compiled in the Alcohol Act that entered into force in 2018. Alcohol Act 1102/2017 (Finlex), in Finnish and Swedish Government proposal ...

Ehkäisevä päihdetyö Laki ehkäisevän päihdetyön järjestämisestä (523/2015) ohjaa päihdehaittojen ehkäisemiseksi ja vähentämiseksi tehtävää työtä. Työ kattaa alkoholi-, huumausaine- ja rahapelihaittojen sekä tupakka- ja nikotiinituotteiden käytön eh...

19.12.2025 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is requesting comments on a draft government proposal that would extend the right of small alcohol producers to sell their products for takeaway. In future, a larger number of domestic alcohol producers could sell alcoholic beverages produced by them directly to consumers at production premises. Comments on the draft proposal can be submitted between 19 December 2025 and 13 February 2026.

19.10.2023 | An amendment to the Alcohol Act is being circulated for comments until 23 November 2023. At present, retail trade licences can be granted for the sale of alcoholic beverages containing up to 5.5 per cent alcohol by volume. The proposed amendment would also allow the sale of alcoholic beverages produced by fermentation and containing 5.5 –8.0 per cent alcohol.

22.12.2021 | The Government has amended the decree restricting the activities of restaurants and other food and beverage service businesses due to the COVID-19 epidemic. As from 24 December 2021, the use of the COVID-19 passport will be restricted for about three weeks. The restrictions on food and beverage services businesses that are necessary to prevent the spread of the epidemic will be introduced in the region of North Savo, while restrictions will be lifted for the Åland Islands.

11.2.2022 | The Government has amended the decree that restricts the activities of food and beverage service businesses due to the COVID-19 epidemic. This means that the opening and licensing hours of all food and beverage service businesses will be extended. In addition, the restrictions on the use of the COVID-19 passport will continue until the end of February.

24.2.2022 | The Government has on repealed section 3, subsection 3 and sections 4 and 6 of the decree (1223/2021) that restricts the activities of food and beverage service businesses due to the COVID-19 epidemic. This means that the restrictions on the opening and alcohol serving hours as well as restrictions on the number of customers and customer seats in restaurants will be lifted.

11.2.2022 | The Government has amended the decree that restricts the activities of food and beverage service businesses due to the COVID-19 epidemic. This means that the opening and licensing hours of all food and beverage service businesses will be extended. In addition, the restrictions on the use of the COVID-19 passport will continue until the end of February.

11.1.2022 | The Government has amended the decree that restricts the activities of food and beverage service businesses due to the COVID-19 epidemic. From now on, all food and beverage services businesses must close at 18.00. In addition, the restrictions on the use of the COVID-19 passport will be extended until the end of January. The decree on the opening hours of food and beverage service businesses will enter into force on 12 January 2022 at 00.00 and it will remain in force until 31 January 2022.

5.1.2022 | The Government has amended the decree restricting the activities of restaurants and other food and beverage service businesses due to the COVID-19 epidemic. Restrictions on food and beverage service businesses that are necessary to prevent the spread of the epidemic will be introduced in Åland.

30.12.2021 | The Government has amended the decree restricting the activities of restaurants and other food and beverage service businesses due to the COVID-19 epidemic. The restrictions on food and beverage service businesses that are necessary to prevent the spread of the epidemic will be introduced across the region of South Savo and in the region of North Karelia.

31.1.2023 | A working group appointed by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health proposes measures to end the use of tobacco and nicotine products in Finland by 2030. The group submitted its report to State Secretary Eila Mäkipää on Tuesday, 31 January 2023.

10.12.2020 | The Government issued a new decree restricting the activities of food and beverage service businesses owing to the COVID-19 epidemic. 

17.12.2020 | The number of new coronavirus infections is still at a high level, and community transmission is common in different age groups across Finland. It is alarming that more and more infections are found in older age groups and that there is a clear increase in the number of patients in need of hospital care.

8.10.2020 | The weekly number of new COVID-19 cases has increased significantly in Finland over the past month. The incidence of cases is growing sharply and the percentage of positive samples of those tested continues to increase. The source of infection is unknown in more than half of all new cases.

22.12.2017 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has appointed a working group to investigate the restricting of cross-border distance selling of alcoholic beverages and to draw up proposals for new rules. In completing its task, the working group must take account of the conditions set by the Finnish Parliament. The working group’s term is from 21 December 2017 to 31 March 2018.

16.12.2021 | The Government has amended the decree that restricts the activities of food and beverage service businesses due to the COVID-19 epidemic. The restrictions on food and beverage services businesses that are necessary to prevent the spread of the epidemic will be introduced in the whole of Lapland and the Hospital District of South Savo.

15.4.2021 | The number of new COVID-19 cases reported in Finland has decreased noticeably over the past few weeks. The number started to fall before Easter. The current restrictions and recommendations and the closure of businesses serving food and beverages have clearly been effective and prevented infections. Vaccinations have also reduced infections, particularly among older people. It is imperative that t...

3.12.2021 | The Government has amended the decree restricting the activities of food and beverage service businesses due to the COVID-19 epidemic. Restrictions on food and beverage service businesses that are necessary to prevent the spread of the epidemic will be introduced in Åland.

8.4.2021 | The number of new COVID-19 cases in Finland dropped before Easter, and this downward trend continues. The current restrictions and recommendations and the closure of businesses serving food or beverages have clearly had an impact. The positive trend can be maintained by continuing with the restrictions, and they should not be dismantled too early or too quickly. The number of new cases remains high, amounting to over 3,000 a week.

1.4.2021 | Slightly fewer new COVID-19 cases were reported in Finland between 22 and 28 March than in the first weeks of the month. The current restrictions and recommendations and the closure of businesses serving food or beverages seem to have slowed down the spread of the epidemic. It takes some time for the restrictive measures to take effect, and the number of new cases remains high. Therefore, it is possible that the epidemic could take a rapid turn for the worse.

22.4.2021 | Over the past five weeks, the number of new COVID-19 cases has clearly declined. This is a good sign indicating that the epidemic is calming down in Finland. The current restrictions and recommendations and the closure of businesses serving food and beverages have clearly been effective and prevented infections.

12.11.2020 | The current epidemiological situation is characterised by rapid regional developments. Finland still has good opportunities to keep the situation relatively stable by international comparison. This requires that people continue to stay alert and patiently follow the guidelines and recommendations issued by the authorities. We should not be lulled into thinking that the epidemic will end quickly.

22.12.2021 | The Government has issued a resolution on the adoption of the national emergency brake mechanism. In managing the COVID-19 epidemic, Finland has returned to extensive restrictions and recommendations which are guided by national legislation. 

3.12.2020 | The coronavirus situation is rapidly worsening in Finland. Over the past two weeks, the number and incidence of cases has risen sharply in almost all regions. This development calls for an immediate and proactive response.

26.11.2020 | The COVID-19 situation has worsened almost throughout Finland but particularly in the Greater Helsinki area and the Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa. New restrictions and recommendations have already been introduced and will be introduced not only in the Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa but also elsewhere in the country. However, in South Savo, for example, transmission chains have been kept well under control.

19.11.2020 | The number and incidence of new COVID-19 cases are increasing in Finland. Last week, the majority of the new cases were reported in the Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa. Currently, there are so many new cases that the epidemiological situation can worsen rapidly across the country.

5.11.2020 | The number and incidence of coronavirus cases have risen again compared to the past few weeks. While the national epidemiological situation has remained fairly stable for several weeks now, there are considerable regional differences. Getting tested is the key to curbing the spread of coronavirus.

21.12.2021 | In its negotiations on Tuesday 21 December, the Government discussed the COVID-19 situation and decided on new restrictions and other necessary measures. In addition to increasing vaccination coverage, effective national and regional measures to limit close contacts are needed to slow down the spread of the epidemic. This will allow more time for giving people third vaccine doses.

22.12.2021 | The temporary provisions of the Communicable Diseases Act will be extended until the end of June 2022. For the most part, the provisions will remain as they are at present. The President of the Republic approved the Act on Temporarily Amending the Communicable Diseases Act on 22 December 2021.

17.12.2021 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health requests comments on a draft government proposal according to which the nationwide use of the EU Digital COVID Certificate, i.e. the COVID-19 passport, would also be possible by law when there are no restrictions in force.

10.12.2020 | The number of new coronavirus infections is still at a high level and a number of regions are in the community transmission phase. It is possible that the epidemic will take a sudden turn for the worse across the country. However, there are indications that the sharp increase in new cases we saw in mid-November seems to have levelled off. We will have to wait a few weeks more before we can see the effects of the regional restrictions and recommendations. 

19.12.2017 | The Finnish Parliament voted on the Alcohol Act on 19 December. The parliamentary reply on the Alcohol Act is to be discussed at a government session after Christmas, on Thursday 28 December. The President of the Republic is to confirm the Act on the same day. The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health will provide more detailed information on the Alcohol Act after the government session on 28 December.

28.12.2017 | The new Alcohol Act that has been long in the preparation will enter fully into force on 1 March 2018. However, some of the changes will become effective already on 1 January 2018. The new Alcohol Act will combine the 13 Regulations previously adopted under the old Act. A significant number of outdated and old-fashioned norms have been excluded from the new Act. The President of the Republic confirmed the Alcohol Act on 28 December.